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CU regents tackle program duplication, leadership searches at retreat

By Brittany Anas Camera Staff Writer

Posted:
07/18/2013 09:28:37 PM MDT

Updated:
07/18/2013 09:54:21 PM MDT

KREMMLING -- The University of Colorado regents Thursday delved into a discussion about how the school should measure its academic priorities, acknowledging programs likely will need to be cut in the future because of funding constraints.

Thursday's discussion -- at the Board of Regents' annual retreat at CU President Bruce Benson's ranch -- was extremely preliminary and there was no mention of specific programs.

Robert Dickeson, former president of the University of Northern Colorado and former senior vice president of the Lumina Foundation for Education, acted as a consultant and led the board and university leaders in the discussion.

The regents' interest in the academic review comes after some board members expressed concerns about duplicate programs on CU's campuses.

The board has asked campus chancellors and Benson to come up with a process for how the university can review and prioritize its academic programs. The top leaders are expected to come up with that process by September.

Benson summed up the goal of the process by saying the university is looking to "create better programs and do it efficiently."

Regent Sue Sharkey, R-Windsor, said her priority is to make sure "students are seeking degrees that matter when they go out in today's market."

Already, the university has a five-year review process for its academic programs.

This prioritization process would be more holistic, though.

"We have to look at all programs simultaneously because they all feed at the budget trough simultaneously," Dickeson said.

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Colorado ranks No. 47 in the nation when it comes to funding public colleges and universities, according to a worksheet reviewed by the regents. State and local support for each full-time Colorado student amounts to $3,774 compared to the U.S. average of $6,290, according to the document.

Dickeson also acknowledged that there seems to be rivalry among Colorado's higher education institutions and said the school should present a more united front.

Dickeson shared with the board a seven-step process for prioritizing academic programs -- which includes using a scoring rubric to collect data on programs, making recommendations, communicating the ideas and managing rumors, implementing changes and notifying accrediting agencies.

Succession planning

The board continues its meeting today, but in executive session. The regents will discuss succession planning and how the university searches for top leaders.

Benson, who turned 75 earlier this month, plans to spend another five years at the helm of the university.

The timing of the conversation makes sense, said Board of Regents Chairman Michael Carrigan, D-Denver, who pointed out that campus chancellors are nearing retirement eligibility.

Within the next five years, Carrigan said, there could be a major turnover in university leadership.

"We are trying to plan for the changes on the horizon because we are not on that horizon yet," he said.

The discussion will happen in private because it involves personnel issues, Carrigan said.

"The board wants to hear about best practices for leadership changes," he said.

Chancellor Phil DiStefano said it makes sense to start identifying employees on the Boulder campus who should be trained for leadership roles and begin developing them for future opportunities.

Where's Ward?

Regent Stephen Ludwig wrapped up the board's meeting Thursday with a game of trivia, grilling regents and university leaders on little-known facts about the school.

While most of the questions centered around university history, the first question in Ludwig's game show asked contestants what fired CU professor Ward Churchill was up to these days.

Answers thrown out included lecturing in Florida, enjoying "retirement" and taking advantage of Colorado's legalized marijuana.

Ludwig concluded, "The correct answer is, 'Who cares?'"

Last spring, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal from Churchill in his effort to reclaim his job, a move that led university officials to declare "the matter is now over."

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